Multi-function buckle assembly

Abstract

A buckle assembly includes a female buckle body that interchangeably mates with either one of a male buckle body or a retainer ring defining a leading bar. The female buckle body has a receptacle to receive an extension portion of the male buckle body slidable therein. A biased lever body is pivotally supported on the female buckle body for cooperating with a catch on the male buckle body between a blocking position retaining the extension portion in the receptacle and a released position allowing removal of the extension portion. The female buckle body also has a slot aligned with the receptacle to receive the leading bar of the retainer ring therein so that the lever body can also selectively retain the retainer ring mated with the female buckle body.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A buckle assembly for use with a retainer ring defining a leading bar, the buckle assembly comprising:
 a male buckle body including a base portion, an elongate extension portion extending in a longitudinal direction from the base portion towards a free end of the male buckle body, and at least one catch formed on the extension portion which is oriented transversely to the longitudinal direction of the male buckle body; 
 a female buckle body defining a receptacle therein extending inwardly into the female buckle body from an open end of the receptacle in a longitudinal direction of the female buckle body such that the receptacle is adapted to receive the extension portion of the male buckle body longitudinally slidable therein through the open end of the receptacle; 
 a lever body pivotally supported on the female buckle body in association with said at least one catch, the lever body defining a locking element therein which is pivotal with the lever body relative to the female buckle body between (i) a blocking position in which the locking element is in interference with the catch so as to prevent removal of the extension portion from the receptacle and (ii) a released position in which the catch is unobstructed by the locking element such that the extension portion is slidably removable from the receptacle, the locking element being pivotal from the blocking position towards the released position in a direction which is opposite to forces acting on the locking element by the catch when urging removal from extension portion from the receptacle; 
 a slot formed in the female buckle body in alignment with the receptacle to extend longitudinally inwardly from the open end of the receptacle, the slot having a width between opposite edges which is adapted to receive the leading bar of the retainer ring longitudinally slidable therein when the male buckle body is separated from the female buckle body; 
 the lever body associated with said at least one catch further comprising a locking extension protruding from the lever body at least partway across the slot in the blocking position such that the locking extension prevents removal of the leading bar of the retainer ring from the slot, the locking extension being movable with the lever body from the blocking position to the released position in which the slot is unobstructed by the locking extension to allow removal of the leading bar of the retainer ring from the slot; 
 whereby the female buckle body is adapted to interchangeably receive and selectively retain the male buckle body and the retainer ring therein; and 
 wherein the locking extension on the lever body associated with said at least one catch that engages the leading bar when the retainer ring is received in the female buckle body in the blocking position is independent and separate from the locking element on the lever body associated with said at least one catch that engages the catch when the male buckle body is received in the female buckle body in the blocking position. 
 
     
     
       2. The buckle assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the locking element associated with said at least one catch does not interfere with insertion of the retainer ring into or removal of the retainer ring from the slot throughout a range of motion of the lever body between the blocking position and the released position thereof. 
     
     
       3. The buckle assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the lever body is pivotal about a respective lever axis relative to the female buckle body and wherein the locking extension is spaced in an axial direction of said lever axis from the extension portion and said at least one catch supported thereon when the male buckle body is received in the female buckle body. 
     
     
       4. The buckle assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the extension portion of the male buckle body supports two catches thereon and wherein two lever bodies are pivotally supported on the female buckle body having locking elements which are movable between respective blocking and released positions relative to the two catches respectively, and wherein each lever body supports a locking extension thereon such that the locking extensions protrude at least partway across the slot from the opposite edges of the slot respectively. 
     
     
       5. A buckle assembly comprising:
 a retainer ring defining a leading bar; 
 a female buckle body defining a slot therein which extends longitudinally inwardly from an open end of the body, the slot having a width between opposite edges which is adapted to receive the leading bar of the retainer ring longitudinally slidable therein; 
 two lever bodies pivotally supported on the female buckle body in proximity to the opposite edges at opposing sides of the slot, each lever body defining a locking extension thereon which is pivotal with the lever body relative to the female buckle body between (i) a blocking position in which the locking extension protrudes at least partway across the slot such that the two locking extensions collectively prevent removal of the leading bar of the retainer ring from the slot and (ii) a released position in which the slot is unobstructed by the locking extensions such that the leading bar of the retainer ring is slidably removable from the slot, the locking extensions being pivotal from the blocking position towards the released position in a direction which is opposite to forces acting on the locking extension by the leading bar of the retainer ring when urging removal of the retainer ring from the slot. 
 
     
     
       6. A buckle assembly for use with a retainer ring defining a leading bar, the buckle assembly comprising:
 a male buckle body including a base portion, an elongate extension portion extending in a longitudinal direction from the base portion towards a free end of the male buckle body, and at least one catch formed on the extension portion which is oriented transversely to the longitudinal direction of the male buckle body; 
 a female buckle body defining a receptacle therein extending inwardly into the female buckle body from an open end of the receptacle in a longitudinal direction of the female buckle body such that the receptacle is adapted to receive the extension portion of the male buckle body longitudinally slidable therein through the open end of the receptacle; 
 a lever body pivotally supported on the female buckle body in association with said at least one catch, the lever body defining a locking element therein which is pivotal with the lever body relative to the female buckle body between (i) a blocking position in which the locking element is in interference with the catch so as to prevent removal of the extension portion from the receptacle and (ii) a released position in which the catch is unobstructed by the locking element such that the extension portion is slidably removable from the receptacle, the locking element being pivotal from the blocking position towards the released position in a direction which is opposite to forces acting on the locking element by the catch when urging removal from extension portion from the receptacle; 
 a slot formed in the female buckle body in alignment with the receptacle to extend longitudinally inwardly from the open end of the receptacle, the slot having a width between opposite edges which is adapted to receive the leading bar of the retainer ring longitudinally slidable therein when the male buckle body is separated from the female buckle body; 
 the lever body associated with said at least one catch further comprising a locking extension protruding from the lever body at least partway across the slot in the blocking position so as to prevent removal of the leading bar of the retainer ring from the slot, the locking extension being movable with the lever body from the blocking position to the released position in which the slot is unobstructed by the locking extension to allow removal of the leading bar of the retainer ring from the slot; 
 whereby the female buckle body is adapted to interchangeably receive and selectively retain the male buckle body and the retainer ring therein; 
 wherein the extension portion of the male buckle body supports two catches thereon; 
 wherein two lever bodies are pivotally supported on the female buckle body having locking elements which are movable between respective blocking and released positions relative to the two catches respectively; and 
 wherein each lever body supports a locking extension thereon such that the locking extensions protrude at least partway across the slot from the opposite edges of the slot respectively.